Conan O'Brien Reveals His Dos and Don'ts of Hosting a Late-Night Talk Show (and Just Life in General)

Seeing Conan O'Brien in person is the equivalent of seeing the Statue of Liberty up close. You've seen it on TV a million times, but when you see it in person, its rather shocking and overwhelming (of course, in the most exciting way possible).

At 6'4", the lanky redhead can't go anywhere without drawing stares. I should know. I see celebs all the time—but when I ran into Conan and his family at a local pizzeria earlier this year, it really was like seeing a landmark for the first time. I think I almost blurted out, "Hey, I know you!" (even though I've never met the guy). So when I did get that chance at the TNT 25th Anniversary Party at the Beverly Hilton to chat with him, there was a lot to talk about—including an unusual bond. (I interned for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno; Conan hosted The Tonight Show.)

Conan O' Brien's Dos & Don'ts for Hosting Late-Night

Do Book Will Ferrell. A Lot When asked who makes him genuinely crack up the most, O'Brien wavers between Ferrell and Jim Carrey before settling on the former SNL funnyman. "He's got those dead eyes, and I just lose it. He’s one of those guys that is funny all the time and not in an exhausting, manic way, but he's just Will Ferrell. He’s just a big, giant chunk of funny."

Don't Make Guests Something They're Not What to do when a guest comes on a late-night talk show and is missing the funny gene?

"Don’t force a guest to be funny if they're not funny. Match the guests energy, and lock in with them. If they're not particularly funny, you can make the interview interesting. What I see sometimes in our culture is that everything has to be funny all the time, which is unnatural, and to an audience that feels forced. So I learned that for the guests that come on and are hilarious, I can let them be hilarious. But if that's not what they do, don't try to make a joke a minute. And if that means that it’s interesting and not a laugh a minute, make it interesting."

(Note: Jennifer Aniston is always hilarious. Conan was not referring to her.)

Be Hospitable "Take care of your guests. That's my job. I’m not there to grill them. I am there to make them as good as they can be. There have been some times when I've walked off interviews and someone will say, 'Wow! He or she was great!,' and I’m like, 'No! I made them that way!' [Laughs] Fortunately, our bookers are really good and we have a lot of great people. I’ve learned when it's time to get out of the way and when it’s time to jump in and help. But know the difference.

Learn From the Best "For me, I am the most nervous around the people I grew up watching. You'd think I’d get most nervous around the big action stars of today, but to me, it's the Carol Burnetts, it’s the Dick Van Dykes, the Don Knotts, it’s the people that were part of my childhood. When I talk to them it’s very hard for me to stay in it. I keep drifting away and thinking, This is weird because they came out of my television set."

OK, but What Happens If...

Glamour: God forbid I ever interview the entire cast of Full House and it will all be over.Conan: Well, Uncle Jesse would hit on you.Glamour: Hey, that’s OK. Conan: Yeah, and then that could get creepy fast! Or beautiful fast. I wish you all the happiness in the world. You’ll be like, 'I watched you when I was four!' and he’ll be like, 'So, anyway...'

Who is your favorite guest of Conan's?

Photos: Meghan Sinclair/Team Coco; YouTube

Jessica RadloffWest Coast entertainment writer. Always trying to make each interview more fun than the last. Obsessed with the St. Louis Cardinals, Scott Speedman, Sprinkles cupcakes--and apparently the letter S.